PROM

[finchmods]

MURDER ON THE FINCHWOOD EXPRESS

For the final time this year, the gym has been transformed for a dance; this time, it's a murderous train, along with train station and platform! Upon entering the gym, students find themselves in a train station filled with (pointless) columns, benches, and a destination board with random Haling Cove destinations. A few paces in, a freestanding arch opens up into the rest of the gym. A newspaper stand off to the side contains old time-y looking news papers with the headline 'Finchwood Express's Maiden Voyage.' The paper is mostly filled with lorem ipsum, but the article accompanying the headline has been written by freshmen. It lists Gregory de Leon as a famous private detective that will be on the train, along with the rich (but horribly ugly) railroad owner [Character B], and "very murderable" actor/actress [Character C].

Walking through the freestanding archway leads to a train platform that's clearly the dance floor. Smoke spills across the floor from all the steam engines that are operating out of this station, and lights overhead give the impression of filtered sunlight (with some colored lights and a disco ball for fun.) The music tonight is pretty all over the place, but one song that just keeps playing is a little dated. Who keeps putting this on?? (It's [Character D]).

The rest of the gym is taken up with a train built by the hardworking theatre tech crew and shop students! Most of the cars sport only three walls and are much wider than a car would actually be, but who cares? Each contains some seating and maybe a photo op or two, though two in particular are special. The main attraction is an engine car spewing smoke from a smoke machine in its chimney, but there's also a dining car that contains a bar with a few signature mocktails, food, and lots of booths for the travelers to sit at. Martin Geary offers discreet shots from their flask to some of their classmates until a freshman yells "Poison!", grabs it from them, and takes off running. Get back here!!

About halfway through the dance, the music cuts so that the prom court winners can be announced by Neal Valentine and Venus Rosales! Winners have to come up on stage to get crowned, and they're asked to share a dance with their winning partner. But they can't make you. The freshmen will boo you if you don't, though.

When it's time to go, students file out of the gym in their fancy dress. It's a pleasantly warm and clear evening, and it's really a shame they have to head back to their dorm rooms. Maybe if they walk a little slow they can hold onto the simplicity of the evening a bit longer.

HOW THIS WORKS

• The theme of prom is Murder on the Finchwood Express! The dance begins at 7:00 PM and ends at 11:30 PM. Then everyone must return to their dorms.


• There is a "bar" where student council members and volunteers are making mocktails for the guests. While none of it is alcoholic, the drinks are served in cute glasses with convincing garnishes. The menu is:
  1. Murder on the Orient Express. Chocolate syrup, hazelnut coffee, non-alcoholic Irish cream, grated chocolate on top.
  2. Death by Not Gin. Elderflower cordial, lemonade, non-alcoholic bitters (they don't trust the bartenders with real bitters).
  3. Amber Moon. Water, vanilla extract, raw egg, and Tabasco sauce.
  4. Murder Train. Sparkling grape juice and grenadine.

PROM COURT WINNERS

Queen Pearl Kline	Queen Suzy Choi
Princess Hadlee Loxton	Princess Venus Rosales
Duke Gregory de Leon	Duke Mason Chambers

» Before the Dance: It's time to get ready! Even though you're probably all gussied up, be sure you're ready for some murder too!

» The Train Station: Upon first entering the gym, the area is set up to look like a nice train station - there are pillars (that hold up nothing), nice benches, and a small archway to walk out through that leads onto the platform (aka the dance floor).

» The Platform: A large area has been set up to look like a train platform, with the clear purpose of being the dance floor.

» The Dining Car: The bar and snack table have been encased in a roomy fake train car, where there are booths to sit in while you dine or drink. Sadly, no real alcohol is being served, unless you slipped a flask in to spike your mocktail.

» Train Car Photo Ops: As with the other dances, there are various photo ops placed throughout the gym. There's one at the engine car (you can lie on the tracks in front of it, if you want), a few different looking train cars, and a stack of luggage in an ornate sleeper car that has the tiniest bed you've ever seen (and no privacy - don't try anything funny).

» Prom Court Winners: About halfway through the dance, the music is cut and the prom court winners are announced! Come up on stage and get your crowns! Please don't give a speech!

» Murder Afoot: A game has been set up so that students can really get into the murdering spirit. Results of each round of the game will be posted here.

» Around Campus: Some people have decided to opt out of the dance, so they're free to enjoy the quieter-than-usual campus.

» The end of the night: It's been a long, fun night, but it's time to rest.

» OOC - QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS!

Comments

Cecilia & Donovan

[dissentjabot]

Cecilia knows his accusation isn’t true but she doesn’t know how to prove it without giving away that she had been keeping a closer eye on him than he may have realized. Impact is more important than intent, anyway. In a way, he’s sort of right. But that doesn’t mean she is in the wrong.

She straightens the column of her spine, intensifying the effect of her looming. “Did we have plans?” she asks, brow arched.

Cecilia & Donovan

[donniemac]

There's no real answer for that apart from the obvious one, so Donovan exhales a huff of acknowledgment and smiles briefly and scoots over on the sofa to make room for Cecilia. "So you're wanting to make plans, then?" he asks, reaching out to take the girl's arm and trying to pull her down into the open seat. Just because she was right once that doesn't mean she gets to keep the literal high ground.

Cecilia & Donovan

[dissentjabot]

Cecilia readily gives in to the tug on her arm, tipping backwards so that her head and shoulders hang off the cushions and her knees hook over the back of the couch. “I drank too much coffee,” she answers and explains, in one.

Her phone vibrates—responses to her other inquiries—but she ignores it.

Cecilia & Donovan

[donniemac]

The way that Cecilia tips boldly and carelessly backwards onto the sofa makes Donovan's smile broaden and he puts one hand palm-down against the cushion on the other side of her so he can look down into her face. "Uh-huh," he retorts lightly, "So why's that my problem? Instead of Merry's or Gregory's? Or Henry's?" Adding that final name was a petty misstep and he knows it immediately, but he can't exactly take it back.

Instead, to divert from his near-blatant jealousy, he moves to poke her the girl's forehead lightly. "...You haven't congratulated me, you know? I was almost the Murder King."

Cecilia & Donovan

[dissentjabot]

A boon for Donovan: Cecilia assumes he rarely makes missteps. Her already racing heart thuds painfully in her chest when he smiles down at her, putting his annoyingly shiny teeth on full display. She's sure he knows exactly what he is doing by pinning her this way and then bringing up Henry. He must be teasing her. Mocking her for going with Henry when she had so obviously wanted Donovan to ask her.

As he moves to tap her forehead, she turns away, pressing her nose to the outside of his thigh. A curtain of curls blocks his view of her face and she stays still for a long moment, glad for the chance to let the color in her cheeks subside. When she reemerges, she looks far more composed, even with a wild crown of hair splayed across the cushions. "I'm not congratulating you for almost not dying until you congratulate me for making it to sixteen."